Tim Tebow and controversy are synonymous these days

Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is finding out the hard way that the love affair he shared with Gator fans and the national media for the past four years may not remain the same now that he's moved on.

Tebow, a devout Christian, is embroiled in controversy over his decision to appear in an ad with his mother, Pam, on Super Bowl Sunday professing their pro-life beliefs.

And he's being attacked on nearly every front about his ability to play in the NFL as he spends the week in Mobile, AL getting ready for Saturday's Senior Bowl game.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay ripped Tebow earlier this week for everything from his poor mechanics and delivery, to his speed, saying he's shown no signs that he's corrected any of the problems scouts have had with him all along. Remember, Gators' QB coach Scot Loeffler was supposed to be helping Tebow in some of those areas.

Now, the ad.

Sports columnists all over the country are taking shots at Tebow for appearing in the ad, many questioning whether it will hurt him in the NFL. The general consensus seems to be that in the NFL, nobody is going to want to hear Tebow's religious views. And earlier this week, a national coalition of women's groups called on CBS to refuse to broadcast the ad because they believe it will likely convey an anti-abortion message. CBS officials have denied that allegation.

"An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year - an event designed to bring Americans together," Jemhu Greene, president of the New York-based Women's Media Center, told the Associated Press.

The center was coordinating the protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups.

On Wednesday, Tebow again defended his decision to participate in the ad campaign.

"I definitely didn't think it would have this much hype and definitely that much buzz, but it's something I believe in and I'll stand up for,'' Tebow said. "It's just, me and mom showing our love for each other and that's pretty much what it's about.''

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